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Historic Preservation

The Historic Preservation Office provides for the identification, designation, and regulation of historic resources within the City of Alexandria. Our staff supports the City's two Boards of Architectural Review, the Old and Historic Alexandria District and the Parker-Gray District. We evaluate and provide recommendations for resources to be included in our collection of local and nationally designated historic districts. We analyze regulatory applications and evaluate proposed development plans to assess their impacts on historic resources. In addition, we provide public outreach with lectures, walking tours, and seminars to educate the public. Please contact our professional staff at 703.746.3833, Monday-Friday 8-5 p.m. and we will be happy to assist you.

Dockets, Webcasts, and Staff Reports

Changes in the Parker-Gray District

The Parker-Gray BAR established the Parker-Gray Ad Hoc Design Guidelines Work Groupon Nov. 30, 2011 in order to further streamline the BAR approval process, allow for the wider use of modern materials, and reduce the BAR fees. The group met for a period of over 10 months and early on made recommendations for fee reductions which were approved by City Council in June 2012. The BAR adopted the majority of the group’s final recommendations, contained within the Residential Reference Guide, on December 12, 2012. The adopted changes to the Parker-Gray District represent a fundamental change in the way that residential buildings in the Parker-Gray District are regulated and reviewed. For additional information on the changes, click here.

Is your property regulated by Alexandria's Board of Architectural Review?

There are two historic districts and thirty-five, 100 Year Old Buildings locally designated and regulated in Alexandria. Two, separate Boards of Architectural Review (BAR) oversee the protection of the Old and Historic Alexandria District, the 100 Year Old Buildings and the Parker-Gray District. The Boards must approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for all new construction and exterior alterations for structures designated which are visible from a public way. In addition, the Boards must approve a Permit to Demolish for proposed demolition of more than 25 square feet of material on a structure, regardless of the visibility from a public way.

Historic Resource Survey of Old and Historic Alexandria District

The Department of Planning and Zoning has coordinated with the National Park Service (NPS), the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR), the Historic Alexandria Foundation (HAF), and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), to create a digital architectural survey of the Old & Historic Alexandria District. Please click here for more information.

Volunteer Opportunities

The historic preservation division regularly trains and works with volunteers who are interested in contributing to the preservation of Alexandria's historic resources. If you are interested in a volunteer position please contact us.

Contact Us

Our office is open 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. We are within walking distance of the King Street Metro stop on the Blue and Yellow Lines. Parking is available at meters on the street or in public parking garages nearby.